Monday, December 08, 2014

A lot of companies are interested in renting computers or other technology, but many are nervous at first because they don't know exactly how it works. Relax, allow me to give you the basic rundown of how it works and why it's probably the best option for many event-oriented occasions.

First of all, when you rent from Rentacomputer.com, you know you are getting the highest quality technology available and the best technicians at a quality the competition can't keep up with.

Secondly, you save big money over the cost of buying equipment for your project. Renting is much more cost-effective than buying and totally managing technology for your event. You can get one computer, or a ton of computers. One iPad, or a thousand iPads. The list goes on. Whatever your needs are, they will be met by your very own personal Tech Travel Agent.

Thirdly, your computers will be custom configured to meet your company specifications. Our hard working technicians can even image your software right on the hard drives of the computer so that each machine is exactly like the other. And that's very convenient, very smart, and a very cool way to save time and money!

Fourthly, computers, laptops, tablets even smartphones can be rented for as long or short as needed, a day, a show, a week, a months or even longer! Short-term rentals are always the best option for events! Companies and people rent them for conventions, trade shows, product beta testing, surveys, company training, special projects, seasonal business, temporary offices, the list goes on as more rental applications are used daily.

Fifthly, they are fast. Let me tell you about fast turnaround time: sometimes they can even ship the same day! Of course, that is depending upon your location, how many computers, and exactly how you want them configured.

Sixthly, Rentacomputer.com has a ton of suppliers with warehouses filled to the brim with computers available for rent and technicians standing by ready to configure, test, deliver and install. More technology available, and more technicians ready to configure and install than any other single rental company in that nation. Shhh, these warehouses are in secret locations (really they are, with that much technology in one central location they have to be) around the country generally in large population areas such as New York City, LA, Las Vegas, Orlando, Houston, and Chicago, but I can't tell you exactly where we store all those computers for security reasons. I can tell you that no matter where you are in the country (or many places on the planet) Rentacomputer.com can ship whatever you need and have it set up and ready to go in a timely manner.

Seventhly, your Tech Travel Agents can have real, certified technicians deliver and install everything; including networking, internet connections, cabling and more! Techs will assist in connecting computers to any company owned peripherals. At the end of the rental, the tear down and return shipping back to the warehouse can be handled by our people. It doesn't get much easier than that!

Monday, November 24, 2014

If somebody told you to trade in your iPhone for something else you would probably call them crazy, yet that's exactly what BlackBerry is trying to do. The mobile company is attempting to convince iPhone users to switch to the BlackBerry Passport. The incentive? Money. A rather large sum of money to be more precise.

This promotion, which starts on Cyber Monday, promises as much as $550 to iPhone owners who trade in their handsets in favor of BlackBerry's Passport. The actual trade-in value will depend on which iPhone you have, however. The iPhone 4S only warrants $90 with the iPhone 6 being worth $400. Unfortunately (and surprisingly) the iPhone 6 Plus is not eligible for the trade. If that isn't enough incentive, BlackBerry is increasing the deal by throwing you an additional $150 as a topper for each iPhone.

The deal will end on February 13 and it is only valid in North America, which is limiting. In addition to that, users mys also buy the $599 to $699 unlocked Passport phone through either BlackBerry's website website or through Amazon. The trade in amount comes in the form of a Visa prepaid card and you will still have to fork over some of your own cash to cover the complete cost.

BlackBerry is trying desperately to increase its global market share, which now stands below 1%. The mobile company, which was once at the forefront of the mobile industry, has been struggling to win back customers and this trade-in program is just the latest attempt at doing so.

The Passport launched back in September and is the company's first flagship mobile device to come about since John Chen took the mantel of CEO in November of 2013. BlackBerry is targeting the phone to "power professionals", which means business users who prefer a traditional physical keyboard and who focus mostly on email and text. The Passport is available unlocked in the US and got its name because it is about the size of a passport.

BlackBerry isn't beneath bribery but the real question is whether or not iPhone users will take the bait. iPhone users tend to focus on things other than text and email, like apps and staying connected to everything all the time. BlackBerry has not only lost market share but also confidence among consumers, who worry that the company is incapable of surviving as a mobile phone maker, which is the biggest challenge facing the company.

The Passport did do well during its initial launch, with 200,000 orders and sold-out stock both at BlackBerry's website and Amazon. The Passport will be going on sale during Black Friday for $499, though that does not include the iPhone trade-in offer starting the following Monday. What do you think? Can you be convinced to trade in your iPhone for the Passport with the incentive of up to $550 to go along with it?

Monday, October 27, 2014

The latest thing to hit the world of display technology is 4K resolutions. 4K resolutions are also known as UHD, or Ultra High-Definition, resolutions, which is essentially taking your traditional 1080p full HD TV and pumping it full of steroids. The picture quality is enhanced, the sharpness is increased, the refresh rate is higher... everything is bigger and better with 4K.

Ultra High-Definition displays deliver the highest detail picture with incredible clarity and crisp images. 4K technology is currently being developed for large TVs primarily, meaning that many of the 4K displays on the market are huge, usually around 85" or larger. The bigger screens are able to take advantage of the 4K resolution much more noticeably than a smaller screen is capable of.

What Is 4K?

But what exactly is 4K resolution? Well, 4K denotes a display resolution that is roughly 4,000 horizontal pixels. Ultra HD displays come with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, which is double the resolution of a standard HDTV and four times the actual pixel count. In addition to that, most traditional movie cameras film at or above 4K resolutions. Full HDTVs present us with an image of around 2 megapixels, though this new generation of screens delivers 8 megapixels.

What's The Most Cost Effective Way To Get 4K?

This new technology is exciting, which is why Rentacomputer.com is excited to now be offering 4K display rentals! Display rentals are a commonality among convention vendors. Anyone setting up a booth or running a convention knows that one of the best way to make your convention or booth look more professional, have a lot of style and really draw people's attention to what you want is a big, beautiful, HD display. Display rentals from Rentacomputer.com allow you to have all the pop and pizzazz of beautiful displays without the depressing drainage of your wallet that comes when you purchase something like this.

With new 4K display rentals, Rentacomputer.com also allows you to rent what are known as Video Walls. Video walls are multiple displays put together to form a virtual wall, allowing you to make images larger than possible with just a single display. High pixel counts enable images to go larger and screen sizes to get bigger before they begin to distort and pixelate, creating a smoother appearance of curved and diagonal lines. In addition to that, these displays allow users to get closer to images without being able to notice individual pixels and distortion. This is what makes 4K displays perfect for something like a video wall.

4K At Your Event

Display technologies are perfect for something as simple as a convention or trade show booth or as expansive as an entire convention. Regardless of what type of display you need, how many you need or when and where you need it, there is no better option than renting a 4K display from Rentacomputer.com. Not only do you get fast and local delivery and installation from a certified technician but you also save money by not having to purchase something that you may only really need to use once or twice a year. With the introduction of 4K displays, your display rental can look even better!

Sunday, September 28, 2014

According to a new report, Google is going to try and take away the manufacturers say in which devices will come with Android technology already installed on them. Lots of companies like Samsung will put out products with the Android operating system, but then heavily modify them. The Samsung Galaxy line of devices all run on Android, but certain apps that come with them are specific to the Galaxy line. Google doesn't seem to be too into this.

Google wants to have more focus around their search engine. They also want to control which apps come installed on their devices right off the shelf. Honestly, it kind of makes sense, right? I mean, why wouldn't they want their own operating system to be represented in the way that they originally intended? Maybe they are starting to see the one thing that Apple has them beat on: Simplicity and predictability.

There are rumors that the relationship between Google and Samsung isn't as healthy as it would seem from the outside. Samsung has a strong desire to have as many customizable options for themselves as possible, while Google wants their Android operating system to be exactly how they want it. The two ideas clash pretty hard. Samsung, however, did agree this year to step back a little bit with the app customization.

Back in July there was also a spat between the two companies over smartwatches. Samsung wanted to use it's own operating system and focus on Android a lot less. Needless to say, that didn't really work for Google.

Samsung isn't the only company that will be affected by Google's desire to completely control Android, LG and HTC will also feel a pretty big hit. Android users in general can expect to see lots more Google on their phones in the near future.

Did You Know You Can Rent A Smartphone? It Can Be A Really Cost Effective Solution: Contact www.Rentacomputer.com Today at 800-736-8772

Sunday, August 03, 2014

Just like everyone else, Samsung reported their Quarterly earnings about a week ago. Generally the information is only for analysts, but there were a few surprises for consumers too! Executives at Samsung teased us with two new devices that are going to be making their way into the market over the next few months.

The first device we got teased with is a smartphone with a really big screen. Most people believe that it is going to be the next installment of the Galaxy Note series as a follow up to the 5.7 inch Galaxy Note 3. This device is probably going to be announced at some point early next month, probably at the IFA trade show in Berlin because that is where they unveiled the Note 3.

The other model really hasn't had any speculation for it because there wasn't that much information given. Basically Samsung just said that there is going to be a very nice new model coming out that uses new materials and new displays. This could suggest a screen that is flexible, or even maybe something that would compete with what people are saying the iPhone 6 is going to have. Either that, or it could be the new Galaxy Alpha that has been rumored for quite some time. It is supposed to be an all metal smartphone. The only thing is that none of the rumors for the Alpha that have surfaced have been about the display at all. So who knows?

As for Samsung in general, they have seen better days as far as sales go, so it would be a good time to step up their game with some fresh new products that people will really want. Their net profits fell 30 percent from this same time last year and revenues fell by 8.9 percent. This is the first time since 2011 that the company has posted a year to year loss. But with the suffering economy, it seems that lots of companies in this industry are suffering a little bit more than usual this year.

They also blame the increasing amount of competition popping up and the fact that they have overestimated the demand for their own line of products. The mobile division of Samsung dropped 30 percent in operating profits from this time last year, contributing 61 percent to Samsung's as opposed to the 76 percent from the first quarter of this year.

Sunday, July 06, 2014

Lets talk speed for a minute. No, I'm not talking about how fast your car goes or how fast you can run. I'm talking about your computer. Yes the speed your computer operates and performs it's basic functions is based around the overall processing power that it possesses. The streaming and buffering of video from the internet is completely different. Maybe you can work on PowerPoint and Excel or iMovie all at the same time with no real speed issues. That's due to the fact that your computer's processor is able to handle the work load you're putting on it with multiple programs running. The programs are also not linked to the internet however. How many times have you been using YouTube or some other video streaming site only to sit there and want to punch a whole through your screen because of the excruciatingly long load times? Probably more times than you care to remember, but it might not be the websites fault. It may be your Internet Service Provider's.

It's so easy to go ahead and put the blame for a slow streaming speed upon the website itself. I'm guilty of that one myself, I won't lie. The thing is that you don't ever really think about your ISP being the cause of the problem. Naturally you don't want to have everyone on the internet at the same time because it will cause the internet to become slower. That being said, you might not think of having your streamed videos being slow come from your ISP, especially if you're the only one on the internet at the time. Well YouTube has something to say to everyone; It's not their fault.

Lets say you're looking up videos on YouTube. You may come across a small blue banner on top of your screen that says "Experiencing interruptions?". There is a reason for this. You're video playback experience is not at the level that it should be at upon viewing. The ISP you are using might not be "HD Verified". Should that be the case, then expect to see that little blue banner. I would also suggest changing your ISP if you get the chance. It also might not be that easy. We will get to that in a second.

YouTube isn't the only one putting blame towards the ISPs out there. Netflix is tossing blame their way as well. Netflix has had many a complaint that they're service has been less than satisfactory because of how slow their buffering is or how poor their playback quality is. Netflix has had banners that suggest that it could be the fault of the ISPs as well, although theirs was before YouTube's. Verizon wasn't necessarily thrilled about this and sent a cease an desist letter to Netflix. Needless to say I feel as if this isn't exactly the best press towards Verizon. If they are to blame, then they need to take the blame.

There have been way too many ISPs out there not giving the proper amount of internet speed towards their customers, and I feel like the streaming services that we use and unknowingly blame are tired of being blamed. Thus, they've now shed light on who we should be mad at. The only issue is that there seems to be only 2 or 3 ISPs out there, so now it becomes an issue of which is the ISP that is going to have least crappy service.

I truly do hope that the ISPs out there will learn that when a customer pays for a service, they should be getting what they paid for, and not some sub-standard, joke service. It's 2014 after all guys. Let's at least pretend to pick up the pace a little bit. If you're having trouble with your internet service, feel free to call your ISP and complain. You should be getting the service that you paid for. And after all, the customer is always right... Right?

There are multiple web browsers out there, but which one is actually noted the best? Most of the time it will come down to personal preference, whether it be using Chrome, Safari, Firefox or internet Explorer. Each browser then has strengths and weaknesses, but other browsers are currently stepping up their game by sending out rapid release update schedules. Today's popular browsers compete on a very competitive playing field, so here is some information about their differences.

Google Chrome:
A few years ago Google Chrome was miles ahead of the competition, but sadly in this era it has ended. Chrome offers a simple tab layout and address bar layout for its users. Everything can be pretty organized as well. Like most web browsers, the window can have several tabs open to pages up at once, but Chrome still does a great job of delivering information whether your browser is fully expanded or minimized for space. Chrome also has a single-click bookmarking technique, which is done by simply clicking the star located on the right side of the address bar, which creates a hassle-free experience for its users. Google Chrome constantly differentiates itself through constant updates. It also features the largest and most useful selection of apps and extensions out of all the browsers. So if web apps and tons of dashboard features are important to your browsing experience, Chrome is your perfect match.
Firefox:
The layout is pretty similar to Google Chrome with a few small differences. Firefox is on a six-week update schedule, which means developers try to fix any flaws that might turn users away from the browser. Some users refuse to leave Firefox because it offers unique extensions that have become essential. The built in PDF viewer is very handy; and Firefox remains the most customizable browser in terms of interface and display. Firefox is the best choice if you are looking for speed and managing super interactive webpages.
Internet Explorer:
Now we have all heard several opinions within the past few years about Internet Explorer. Yet, it still remains one of the NSS, only Internet Explorer blocks trackers more than 90% from hazardous sites.
most popular web browsers. Internet Explorer, otherwise known as IE 11 (Internet Explorer 11), has many functions liked turning tabs in to new browsing windows. It sill has many of the features back when IE 10 came out like individual tab previewing from the has bar and "pinning" which lets you pin a website to the Windows 8 task bar. Privacy wise, Internet Eplorer gives you the best tracking protection, that blocks trackers completely from communicating with your browser. According to a 2013 study from Safari
Apple's web browser, Safari, which is on every Apple device, has attracted critics everywhere. In today's era, it is now a serious competitor to any of the large web browsers. With every update, it still tends to remain the same to bring familiarity for old users of the browser to feel at home. Mac users tend to find the full screen browsing feature helpful, that gives them the ultimate viewing experience. Safari offers the address search bar hybrid, along with all the usual bookmarking and readers tabs. The browser unfortunately lacks the single-click bookmarking tool that Chrome features, which makes users go through hurdles for something that should be more simple.

Popularity wise out of these browsers, Chrome was rated the top best according to StarCounter for May 2014, but all browsers listed above are consistently making improvements to give users the best possible browsing experience.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

The newest operating system teased by Apple, known as OS X Yosemite, is slated to be able to run on 8 out of 10 Macs, according to the company. Keeping up with tradition, Apple recently dropped support for iOS 8 on the iPhone 4, leaving the handheld stuck with iOS 7. OS X 10.10, which has been nicknamed Yosemite, is said to support the same Macs as 2012's Mountain Lion and 2013's Mavericks, with all this coming from a preview of Yosemite's system requirements.

It was recently confirmed by Computerworld as to which Macs will be given Yosemite support. The account came directly from developers at Apple who, unsurprisingly, asked not to be named due to the fact that they were not authorized to disclose any information about the pre-release software. According to the developers, Yosemite's list of approved devices was identical to Maverick's, which was almost identical to that of Mountain Lion.

OS X 10.10 is said to be able to run on iMacs from the mid-2007 model on up to current devices as well as on 13" MacBooks from late 2008 and early 2009 onward. In addition to that MacBook Pro notebooks from mid-2009 and later and late-2007 and after are also supported which includes the 13", 15" and 17" variations. The MacBook Air laptops form late 2008 and later, Mac Mini desktops from early 2009 and after and the bigger Mac Pro desktops from early 2008 and on are also supported by Yosemite.

To figure out if your device is able to run Yosemite you simply need to select "About This Mac" from the Apple menu and chose "More Info" from the window. The age of your Mac computer will display under the name of the model and look similar to something like "Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012" depending on your specific device.

Until the 2012 release of Mountain Lion Apple was known to regularly drop support for different machines by dumping what the company considered old as an emphasis on adding features to the operating system that would either run poorly on older machines or not run at all came into the picture. On the other hand, Apple seems to be taking note from Microsoft, who's Windows 8 and 8.1 runs on the same hardware that ran Windows 7, which runs on the same hardware that ran Windows Vista, by acknowledging that older Mac devices are good enough for the upgrade.

Net Applications, an Internet metrics company, ran a study that found that 69% of all Macs that went online in May were running wither Mountain Lion or Mavericks and will definitely be able to handle Yosemite while a portion of the systems still on 2011's Mountain Lion will also be able to run on Yosemite. Should Mountain Lion and Mavericks sustain their 90-day average losses and gains through September, which is one month before Yosemite is expected to launch, the two operating systems will be on roughly 78% of all Macs.

PC sales have decreased dramatically over the past few years, due in part to a struggling world economy. However, analysts cite the reason "good enough" as being another driving factor in the decline as well. In the past, users believed that each generation of new hardware was discernibly better than the previous and that the upgrades to the operating system were worth it because they took advantage of the increased power. However, now there appears to be little reason to upgrade hardware because the existing hardware is "good enough".

It's hard to say how users will react to OS X 10.10 Yosemite but the fact that it will be able to run on an extended number of older devices is definitely a good selling point. But who am I kidding, it's an Apple product, people are going to buy it. Apple could make the absolute worst product they've ever made and the Apple fans will eat it up like Oliver Twist looking for more porridge.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Tablets, tablets, tablets. They are the "it" thing to have and use these days. Everyone wants one. Everyone needs one. They have essentially taken over the laptop and desktop market. No longer do people really go for the fanciest desktop or laptop. Unless there is a certain feature that is desired or if productivity may be better on a laptop or desktop, it seems as if everyone is after a tablet. Then again, you may have already seen them practically everywhere. Apple is still reigning supreme over all in terms of sales, but many a different brand have been doing their absolute best in trying to stake their own claim on the market. Brands like Google, Samsung, and arguably Apple's biggest competitor, Microsoft.

Microsoft has done well enough within the tablet realm, but the entire tablet market seems a bit flooded now. With all of the other brands pushing their own tablets, it seems like it'd be hard for any brand to get their product noticed, unless you're Apple of course. Microsoft has tended to stay pretty strong with their Surface and Surface Pro tablet lines, but it may be time for a change.

Look at how well Apple's iPad Mini has done. This product in particular has proven itself to be quite the contender in the tablet wars. Even with this smaller screen size, they sacrifice a bit of productivity for overall accessibility. This is where Microsoft may need to venture in order to move their next line of tablets.

The Microsoft Surface tablet was designed with the laptop user in mind. This was when we really started to see the hybrid tablets begin to flourish. It almost seemed like Microsoft was trying to keep the laptop alive by allowing for an attachable keyboard feature. I could be completely wrong, but that's always how I've personally viewed it. Instead of launching forward into the future like the rest of the brands, Microsoft chose to go into the tablet realm with a laptop sensibility in mind. Then again, this could be viewed as the company just trying to cater to both the tablet and laptop markets at the same time, but in that same breath they may have been trying to do too much.

Microsoft will be launching a new product to their surface line next week and it can only be assumed that it will be a Surface Mini as the internet rumors all point to this possibility. Should this particular product come to fruition, there are a few things that Microsoft may want to keep in mind.

The iPad Mini, Nexus 7, and Amazon Kindle Fire HDX all have one thing in common that none of the Surface models had; they were just tablets and nothing more. They had no physical design that allowed for a keyboard attachment. They were exactly what they were. It's almost as if the Surface and Surface Pro are experiencing an identity crisis. Even so, if Microsoft is able to follow suit with the other mini tablets out on the market, they may be able to stand out a bit more in that particular forefront.

Hopefully Microsoft will keep the new Surface Mini a bit more accessible. By sacrificing a bit of productivity, allowing it to run on Windows 8.1, and keeping it as just a tablet, they just might see themselves pushing more towards the front of the tablet pack.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

There's a common word that can either bring people to a very angry place, or a happy place. The word is "bandwagon". Many of us know this word from sporting events when your friend "jumps on the bandwagon" of the winning team. But that word can also apply to tech and tech companies, believe it or not. Take the currently hot Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset. As most of you may be well aware of, this technology was recently bought by Facebook. Naturally with how many people are stoked on the idea of virtual reality in media and games, Facebook is dumping quite a bit of cash into it. This hasn't gone unnoticed by certain companies, namely Apple. Apple has never been one to stray away from something that they see as a cash cow. Anything they view that they can take, slap their logo on, design better, and charge a pretty penny for, they will take.

Naturally, seeing a company as large as Facebook getting a hold of the Oculus Virtual Reality tech, Apple has now put in a patent to make their own Virtual Reality headset technology in order to compete with Facebook and Oculus.

Much like the rumored and now confirmed iWatch, the possibility of Apple coming out with their own version of a Virtual Reality headset has been circulating for some time now. With this patent, they have now proven the rumors to be true.

Even though the rumors have now been shown to be true, that doesn't the patent has necessarily been granted. As of now, the patent has been rejected, but it isn't necessarily done for. Apple had the plan of just augmenting, or "touching up" one of their previous patents. Since it has now be rejected though, Apple now has the option of a rebuttal or just giving up on the patent all together.

However even with the patent being rejected, this doesn't mean that the patent itself didn't show specific image designs of what we could be looking at in the future. The designs showed something that looked reminiscent of the Oculus goggles, but with some nuances to differentiate themselves obviously. For example, the new HMD (head-mounted display) is being designed to connect to other Apple products such as your iPod or iPhone. It's all about the connectivity these days! The connectivity could be wireless or wired depending on your Wi-Fi connection and will be able to connect to things like Apple TV to offer you your media on a personal display while you're away from home.

While it's nice to see all the connectivity features that will eventually come with Apples new Virtual Reality headset, there are a few things missing from the design. For one, there is no specification on what the resolution will be for the display. They will obviously have to compensate the screen size and pixel size/count to the distance from the display to the eyes. With that being said, Apple has noted that it will be like "watching a movie." Hopefully it turns out that way. The next thing missing from the design is something that Oculus has a leg up on: gyroscopes and accelerometers. These two components help in giving the user a more immersive experience. Basically when you look left in the real world, your view point on the headset will also look left in the virtual world.

It's safe to say that with Facebook blazing down the trail to make Oculus the best that it can possibly be, Apple will definitely be putting more focus on their own Virtual Reality headset just to compete.

For Your Next Technology Rental Click Here Or Call Rentacomputer.com Today At 800-736-8772Source.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Amazon has decided to expand their horizons into the smartphone market. The company has reportedly decided to debut their new handset this fall.

The rumor of this happening has been around for years. There have been supposed leaks and people talking about it, saying they have had information, but you can never really believe it until there is some solid evidence. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal came out and said that Amazon is for sure planning to announce their very own handset some time in June.

The Wall Street Journal also said that Amazon has been showing off their new device to different developers in the Seattle and San Francisco areas for a few weeks, having them meet up at a hotel suite guarded by heavy security. Reports from some of the insiders say that the phone is supposed to be released to the public some time at the end of September. It will feature four different front facing cameras to track your face and your eyes, and will use the technology to offer a 3D viewing experience without the use of any type of glasses.

All of the rumors in the past have mainly focused on silly details that most wouldn't care about, like the online shopping possibilities that may be included. But, these recent reports make us think that this phone may have more to offer than a few silly gimmicks.

Sources have said that the first order for these new phones will consist of about 600,000 units, and that Japan Display has been producing at least one of the phone's components.

Everyone isn't so on board with the idea of this new device though. Lot's of people think that Amazon is getting too far away from it's roots, and that the new device will likely flop. I think that these people are forgetting that this is still the same company who put out the Kindle, which is an extremely successful and popular device. As a matter of fact, the Kindle was responsible for taking away more of the iPad's costumers than any other tablet in late 2013. So if that is any sign of how the phone is going to do on the market, it's actually got a pretty good shot.

Production for the device is supposed to start this month. We should see the first glimpses in June, and we'll be able to see it in person in September. I'm pretty excited to see what it's all about, and see how it does going up against Apple's iPhone 6, which will likely come out around the same time.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

It's pretty safe to say that even though those of us who have tablets have the intent of using them for productive purposes, that doesn't normally happen. Half the time we spend on our tablets is either to surf the web, update our statuses, or trying beat our high score on Fruit Ninja. It's mainly due to these, and other reasons, why most people think that owning a tablet is strictly for leisure purposes. Some of us may want to use the devices for their original intentions of being productive, but may not know exactly how. Well, lucky for us, there are a few ways to turn our ultra thin Angry Birds machines, into the devices they were intended to be.

Clean Up Your Apps.
One of the first things you can do is go through and see if there are any apps that you can do without. I can almost guarantee that there are at least 5 or 6 apps on your phone or tablet that you can get rid of and give your mobile device a bit more breathing room to work with. Don't keep so many games on your tablet, just because they can take up a lot of space. There is nothing wrong with playing some Jet Pack Joyride while you are going to sleep (I'm quite fond of this myself), but when it comes down to crunch time you may want to get rid of something of the games you've not played in a while. For those iPad users, there happens to be an app available called Parallels Access which allows you to use any app from your PC or Mac directly on the tablet. The $80 annual rate may be a bit pricey, but for what you are getting out of it, it could be a great way to fill up that empty space left by the lack of games.

Time For Keyboard.
While it is nice to just type away on your tablet and feel good about it, there is nothing as comforting as feeling the keys against your fingertips. You are able to easily guide your fingers when you feel the keys, as opposed to just tapping on the screen. Not that it isn't responsive, but having an external keyboard or maybe a Touchfire keyboard accessory could definitely help deter you from making continuous typos. It will definitely make typing easy, feel more responsive, and can help you get more work done simply due to the fact that you wont be deleting every thing you wrote every 2 minutes.

A Second Monitor You Didn't Know You Had.There are some apps out there that actually allow you to turn your tablet into a second monitor. The app will essentially confuse your Mac or PC into thinking that the tablet it just an external monitor. Perhaps you have an external monitor or two already. There is nothing wrong with adding another. Keep four different windows or apps up on four different screens. Contrary to popular belief, having extra monitors can actually help increase productivity. I should know, it helps me out!

All in all, there are many different ways to help get your tablet to where you want it to be. You don't have to necessarily get rid of every game you've ever loved, but cleaning up space can really help. The external keyboard can help a ton as well. The ability to have an extra (slightly smaller) monitor is also a big plus. It doesn't just have to be an Angry Birds machine anymore. So get to work!

Monday, March 17, 2014

AT&T has just revealed that it is bringing yet another device into its tablet family. The newest addition coming to AT&T is Microsoft's Windows RT tablet. Known as the Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE, this tablet is expected to hop onto AT&T's shelves beginning on March 18 with a $679 price tag.

The tablet itself is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor and 2GB of RAM. In addition to that, this 4G LTE version of Microsoft's tablet comes with mostly the same internal and external specs as the WiFi only versions. The only real difference here is that Microsoft added a GSM micro-SIM card slot just beneath the volume button.

This 8.1" tablet also comes with 64GB of internal storage and also features Microsoft Office 2013, which is perfect for homework, office work or other tasks of the sort. As this is an AT&T tablet, it naturally comes with a few different data plan options. Included in the data plans is AT&T's family share plan, though the availability, coverage and pricing of the whole package still depends on your location. It has also been announced that this tablet ships unlocked with AT&T being the only carrier to provide this specific tablet.

For A Short Term Microsoft Surface Rental Click Here Or Call Rentacomputer.com Today At 800-736-8772

While the price of this tablet may seem steep, it actually looks a lot better when compared to Apple's $800 price tag on the iPad Air. Taking into account that the tablet includes a built-in Micro HDMI port and full-size USB 3.0 ports along with the MicroSDXC card reader, this means Microsoft is offering a pretty competitive tablet. The only real downside to this tablet is the fact that it is incompatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 PC programs and its app store is severely lacking.

However, like all products on today's market, individual needs are what determine which tablet is best for you. If you need a tablet that has productivity at its core and cellular on-the-go connectivity then this offering from Microsoft may be the perfect fit.

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

9 times out of 10, there are plenty of options when it comes to picking the right laptop. As time has moved forward, schools have even begun to use laptops and other tech in their schools. It all a matter of keeping up with times. Not all of the laptops that we, let alone schools, use are up to par with some of the models that get more media attention. Take a look at the Google Chromebook. The last series was able to hold up fairly well. Many schools used them, and with good reason too. They had a long battery life, were relatively cheap, and came with built-in cloud compatibility. The only draw back from the first series is the lack of performance power. They did tend to struggle at times. This is where Samsung has decided to step in and help out.

If you are interested in the new Chromebook 2 Series, you'll be seeing HD screens along with some nice powered up processors! The Chromebook 2 Series is will be available in two different screen sizes. The larger model being a 13.3 inch screen, and the smaller option being an 11.6 inch screen. If you are going with the larger model, you'll be pleased to find a Full HD screen, sporting a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution rate. Should you decide to take the smaller route, you will suffer a slight resolution rate with it being only a 1,366 x 768 resolution rate. Both models, however, are coming equipped with octa-core Samsung Exynos processors. The higher end model will receive a 2.1GHz processor while the lower end model will come with a 1.9GHz processor. They will also be receiving different methods for charging. Instead of using a microUSB charging port, the new Chromebook 2 Series will be going with a DC power connector for charging.

Since these are Chromebooks are are supported through Google, it would only make sense for them to use the Chrome OS. Samsung has promised to become optimized for Google+ and all of the affiliated apps that come with it, including the Hangouts messaging. When purchasing the new Chromebook, Samsung will also be offering customers a "premium" app package. Samsung's new Chromebook models will also be given 100GB of Google Drive space for up to two years upon purchase.

These new models will be available in April, so not much longer. They have definitely upgraded in terms of there specs, which is nothing but a positive for the series. They are still pretty affordable as well. With the larger screen model going for $400 and the smaller screen version going for $320, its hard to pass up on a deal like that. Again, a lot of these other models, such as the Chromebook get swept under the rug due to the higher demand and marketing for the better advertised models such as the Macbook. If you are still on the fence about getting one of the newer Samsung models because you've worked with the last Chromebook and weren't impressed, it may be better to rent the new model when it comes out just to test the waters with it.

Monday, February 17, 2014

I recently returned from a trip to Germany and while I was extremely excited to be going to a country I had never been to before, I wasn't too thrilled about traveling through the airports. What's worse is that I decided to take my laptop with me on the trip. When traveling, the biggest fear I have is losing my luggage. That's why I decided to put my laptop in my carry-on bag. Well, that was no less of a hassle as I had to remove my laptop and all its accessories from my bag whenever I went through security and since I went through three different airports before reaching Germany, you can imagine how frustrating that was. But then I thought of the perfect solution to help me avoid this frustration in the future: renting a laptop.

While renting a laptop may not be the best choice for a recreational trip to Germany, it is perfect for short-term use. Laptop rentals from Rentacomputer.com are perfect for on-the-go businessmen who are looking for lightweight, portable, sleek and powerful mobile devices. The best part of a laptop rental is the fact that you get to avoid all the hassles I faced at airports during my travels. Without having the laptop actually with you when you are going through the airport, you can avoid having to take everything out when you pass through security. You can also avoid the stress and paranoia of seeing your laptop broken or lost if you put it in your checked luggage.

When you rent a laptop from Rentacomputer.com, you save yourself a world of frustration. Your Tech Travel Agent handles all the logistics of your laptop rental. What this means is that your Tech Travel Agent will set up the delivery of your rental to wherever you need it, whether it be a convention, trade show or even your hotel room, and will also deal with setup should you require it. This means that when you land, your laptop will be ready and waiting for your use as soon as you arrive.

There is another important part to your laptop rental aside from logistics and that is the type of laptop you want or need. Rentacomputer.com offers a plethora of laptop rentals from all the biggest names in the industry. Prefer Sony over HP? No problem. Need a Lenovo for some serious work? Done. Rather have an Apple product to explore your more creative side? Sure thing. As the saying goes, the world is your oyster, with the world being laptops and your oyster being literally whatever laptop you want.

Aside from brand, you also have to determine the type of laptop you need. If you are going for the ultimate in portability then you can't beat a netbook or ulraportable rental. These laptops range in size from 5" to 12" screen sizes and usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. In addition to that, they are also less expensive than traditional laptops. However, that lower price comes at the expense of having lower specs. These are designed for fast, on-the-go computing and are perfect for people primarily using software. Full-size laptops are perfect if you need more modes of connectivity. So if you need multiple USB ports or various kinds of outports then full-size is what you want. Full-size laptops are also better if you need more computing power than a netbook or ultraportable.

Regardless of what you need or when and where you need it, a laptop rental from Rentacomputer.com is the perfect choice if you find yourself constantly on-the-go and you don't want to deal with the hassles of taking your own laptop with you.

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

We are already a decent ways into this new year with Valentine's Day right around the corner, and now is when we expect to see even more new tech dropping. After all, it wouldn't be the new year without a new product dropping from one of the biggest mobile companies on the market right now. Samsung and Apple have recently been going at it with each other in terms of who's mobile device can gain more attention and is better overall. Both of these companies seemingly have releases every 2 weeks or so. Even so, we as consumers know what to look out for and know what we want. Tablets are nice, and so are laptops and desktops, but nothing defines us like our phones. With that knowledge readily known, Samsung is ready to give us what we want; The Galaxy S 5.

Mind you this is not certain that as of yet. It is still only rumored, but the fact that Samsung will be revealing their next big staple product at the Mobile World Congress Unpacked 5 event. They have given us a lot already recently, along with the upcoming release of the new Pro versions of their tablets. The Unpacked 5 event will take place, again, in Barcelona on February 24th. Samsung is known for making their yearly large product announcements around late February to early March, as most of know. Even with the name of Unpacked 5 and the release of the Galaxy S4 around this same time last year, it seems next to impossible for Samsung to not annouce the Galaxy S5 at this years event.

The closer we get to Unpacked 5, the more rumors we hear. The Galaxy S5 is no exception. The new smartphone is drenched with rumors. One of the biggest rumors is the ultra high-resolution display of 2,560x1,440 pixel AMOLED display screen. Should that be true, it ensure that the sure-to-be-large screen will give us amazing display quality. This along with the 3GB of RAM and a 16 megapixel camera have been accompanying the new phone. Couple those rumors with the added rumor of the 64-bit eight core Exynos processor (made entirely by Samsung) and an incredible 4,000mAh battery, and you have yourself a phone that looks to be quite the powerhouse.

The feature rumors share their own sense of hope and fantasy as well. Some say that we could see the new phone go the way of the iPhone 5S and integrate a fingerprint scanner as well. Of course an incredible battery life just has to accompany, virtually, any new phone rumor. Others are also saying that we could see a new redesign with metal chassis to give it a more sleek and modern feel. Again, remember that all this is just speculation until the actual event goes down. And even during the event, it is still unconfirmed as to if Samsung will be announcing the S5. Even so, it does seem a bit obvious.

All eyes will be on Samsung at the Unpacked 5 event. It is still uncertain as to what the flagship product is that they will be releasing, but the talk of the internet remains the Galaxy S5 reveal. Should this happen to be the case, Apple will need to hurry up with the iPhone 6. It is only expected that they wouldn't want to leave too much room in between for their competition to get a leg up on sales.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Budgets can be a scary things, especially when it comes to possible tech that you may need. We are all aware that when dealing with new tech, price is usually the biggest deciding factor. A company needs to be aware of what exactly their needs are before they decide to actually pull the trigger on a possible purchase. There are pros and cons for both buying a renting when it comes to tech. Ultimately, if you are on a budget, figuring out what exactly you need and for what purpose can actually help when deciding to rent or buy.

Buying means one this is for sure; the product is yours. One worry that you may need to concern yourself is with the warranty and the return policy, should something go wrong. After all, when you decide to make the purchase of said computer, you are also paying for tech support and service. Another point to factor is the issue of mass produced technology. When dealing with a large consumer retailer, you are dealing with a company the is basically cloning each model of tech that they specialize in. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it can affect the price, but that means that small faults might slip through the checks. This is the type of that that can't necessarily be avoided with a computer purchase. Should the warranty not cover the particular fault, you have essentially purchased a broken computer for your company's needs. Asking your retailer questions about the warranty and what is covered and not covered, all of the "what ifs" essentially, can be a time and money saver. Having said that, remember that when you buy a computer, tablet, or other mobile device, you are taking a huge chunk out of your budget. In the end, you may only need the product for that one thing.

Renting your tech means that you can have a lot more options for your budget. Nine times out of ten, you will be able to rest easy knowing that you will always have working equipment. It always does help to make sure that you read and understand the rental contract to see what types of damage is covered by the vendor and what would be covered by you. If you know that you are going to be needing your tech for a short amount of time, then renting is obviously the best call. Monthly payments are usually how most vendors will bill you. If you see your company requiring a computer, or printer, or anything else for extended periods of time, then buying the product may be the better option. There are some rentals, however, that will allow you to buy the product out right after your rental time is up. This way you get the best of both worlds. In the end though, you will find that renting your equipment will be a lot better in the long run since it doesn't affect your budget nearly as bad. Not to mention that renting in bulk usually brings the price down. Renting 100 iPads is definitely a lot cheaper than buying them.

When it comes down to it, you must ask yourself the main questions involving these decisions. What is my company going to need? How long is my company going to need it? How many of these is my company going to need? Do we have it in the budget to fix the equipment should something go wrong? All of these are huge factors on if you are going to buy or rent. Just remember that renting leaves more money in your pocket and less responsibility on your shoulders.